Table support device having changeable support members

ABSTRACT

A table support device includes a base having two parallel tracks, one or more bars and a board slidably engaged on the tracks, one or more followers slidably coupled to the tracks with poles and movable toward and away from the board, for increasing a distance between the followers and the board, and for supporting longer work pieces. One or more guide rods may be slidably engaged in the board and the bars for stably guiding the board to move relative to the bars. One or more support members of different areas are supported on the bars for supporting various kinds of work pieces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a table support, and more particularly to a table support device having changeable support members.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Typical table support devices may be used for supporting the work pieces and for allowing the work pieces to be machined or worked by various kinds of machines. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,705 to Shieh discloses one of the table support devices that may be used for supporting and for moving the work pieces relative to a saw machine. The typical table support devices may not be changed according to the right-handed workers or the left-handed workers, and may not be used to support longitudinal work pieces. In addition, the table support device may not be disposed on the ground or may not be supported on the other tables or supporting members.

[0005] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional table support devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a table support device having changeable support and guide members for supporting various kinds of work pieces and for effectively guiding the work pieces to be machined by the saw blade.

[0007] The other objective of the present invention is to provide a table support device having extendible or slidable support members for supporting longer work pieces.

[0008] The further objective of the present invention is to provide a table support device having guiding devices for guiding the relative sliding movement between the support members.

[0009] The still further objective of the present invention is to provide a table support device having a support leg device that may be removed for allowing the table support device to be disposed on the ground or to be supported on the other supporting members or tables.

[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a table support device comprising a base including a pair of parallel tracks each having a first end and a second end, one or more bars slidably engaged on the tracks, a board supported on the tracks, and disposed between and movable toward and away from the bars, one or more pairs of poles slidably coupled to the ends of the tracks respectively, and two followers secured on the pairs of poles respectively and movable toward and away from the board, for increasing a distance between the followers and the board, and for supporting longer work pieces.

[0011] A guiding device may further be provided for guiding the board to move relative to the first and the second bars.

[0012] One or more support members are further provided and supported on the first and the second bars and the followers for supporting the work pieces. A device may further be provided for securing the at least one support member on the bars and the followers and the board and includes at least one groove formed in the upper portions of the board and the bars and the followers respectively, and includes at least one rib extended from the at least one support member and selectively engaged into the at least one groove of the board and the bars and the followers.

[0013] The base includes at least one graduation provided thereon for measuring the relative movement between the board and the bars and the followers. A device may further be provided for selectively securing the poles to the tracks respectively.

[0014] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a table support device in accordance with the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a top plane schematic view of the table support device;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0019]FIG. 5 is a top plane schematic view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the table support device;

[0020]FIG. 6 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

[0021]FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view similar to FIG. 6; illustrating the operation of the table support device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a table support device in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 10 including a pair of parallel and longitudinal tracks 11 each having an orifice 113 formed therein or formed therethrough, and each having a screw hole 111 formed in the upper portion of each of the ends thereof. One or more beams 12 may be provided and secured between the tracks 11 for securing the tracks 11 together, and for forming a rectangular or parallelogrammic shape. Three or more legs 14 have the upper portion threaded to the beams 12 and secured to the beams 12 with lock nuts 13 (FIG. 3), for supporting the base 10 on a suitable elevation or height that may be easily worked by the workers or the operators. One or more graduations 18 may be provided on the base 10, such as provided on the tracks 11. When the legs 14 are removed from the beams 12,

[0023] One or two pairs of poles 15 are slidably engaged in the orifices 113 of the tracks 11 from the ends of the tracks 11, and each includes an enlarged head 151 for engaging with the tracks 11 and for preventing the poles 15 from being deeply engaged into the tracks 11, and each includes a screw hole 17 formed in the upper portion of the heads 151. One or more lock devices or fasteners 16 may be used for selectively or adjustably securing the poles 15 to the tracks 11 respectively, and for allowing the poles 15 to be secured to the tracks 11 after the poles 15 have been adjusted relative to the tracks 11 respectively.

[0024] One or more, such as two bars 30 and a board 40 are slidably supported on the base 10, such as straddled on the tracks 11 of the base 10, with rollers or wheels 35, 43, for allowing the bars 30 and the board 40 to be moved and slid along the tracks 11 of the base 10. The bars 30 and the board 40 are thus arranged or supported perpendicular to the tracks 11, and each includes one or more shoulders and/or grooves 31, 41 formed in the upper portion thereof and perpendicular to the tracks 11 for forming a flange 32 on each of the sides thereof, and each includes one or more conduits 34, 44 formed therein and parallel to the tracks 11, for slidably receiving a rod 45 each and for stably guiding the bars 30 and the board 40 to move toward or away from each other. The wheels 35 of the bars 30 may also be movably engaged on or along the poles 15 respectively.

[0025] A motor 42 is secured to the board 40 and coupled to a saw member or a saw blade 47 which is slightly or partially extended upward beyond the board 40 for working onto the work pieces that are supported on the board 40. The board 40 is disposed between the bars 30 which may be moved or adjusted relative to the board 40 for allowing the work pieces to be disposed on either sides of the saw blade 47 and for allowing the work pieces to be machined by either the right-handed workers or the left-handed workers. One or more fasteners 26 may be engaged through the holes 33 of the bars 30 (FIGS. 2 and 4-7) and threaded with the tracks 11 or with the screw holes 111 of the tracks 11 for selectively securing the bars 30 to the tracks 11, when required.

[0026] One or more, such as two followers 20 each includes one or more holes 23 (FIGS. 4, 6, 7) formed therein for receiving the fasteners 26 which may be threaded with the screw holes 17 of the poles 15 and which may secure the followers 20 to the poles 15, such that the followers 20 may be moved or adjusted toward and away from the bars 30 by the sliding engagement of the poles 15 in the tracks 11. The followers 20 each includes one or more rollers or wheels 25 for slidably engaging on the poles 15 and/or the tracks 11 when the followers 20 are not secured to the poles 15. The followers 20 are thus also arranged or supported perpendicular to the tracks 11 and the poles 15, and each includes one or more shoulders and/or grooves 21 formed in the upper portion thereof and perpendicular to the tracks 11 and the poles 15 for forming a flange 22 on each of the sides thereof, and each includes one or more conduits 24 formed therein and parallel to the tracks 11 and the poles 15, for slidably receiving the rods 45 respectively when the length of the rods 45 is increased. The sliding engagement of the rods 45 in the conduits 24 of the followers 20 may also be used for stably guiding the followers 20 to move toward or away from the bars 30.

[0027] In operation, the followers 20 may be moved and adjusted toward and away from the bars 30 and the board 40 and the tracks 11, best shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, for increasing the distances between the followers 20 and the board 40 and for allowing longer work pieces to be stably supported by the followers 20 and the bars 30. The work pieces may be disposed on either sides of the saw blade 47 and thus may be operated or machined by either the right-handed workers or the left-handed workers.

[0028] As best shown in FIG. 1, the table support device includes a guide and support assembly 50 for being supported on the board 40 and the bars 30 and/or the followers 20 and for supporting the work pieces. The guide and support assembly 50 includes one or more guide and support members 51, 52, 53, 54 of different areas or widths or lengths, and each includes one or more ribs 55 (FIGS. 4-7) extended therefrom for engaging with the grooves 21, 31, 41 of the followers 20 and the bars 30 and the board 40, and for allowing the support members 51-54 to be moved in concert with the followers 20 and/or the bars 30 and/or the board 40. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the support members 5154 may include one or more ribs 55 extended from the upper and/or the bottom portions thereof for selectively engaging with the grooves 21, 31, 41 of the followers 20 and the bars 30 and the board 40, and for allowing the support members 51-54 to be disposed upside-down. The support members 51-54 each includes one or more shoulders or edges 56 provided therein for engaging with and for guiding the work pieces 80 to move relative to the saw blade 47.

[0029] Accordingly, the table support device in accordance with the present invention includes a number of changeable support members that may be changed with each other for facilitating the machining or the working of the machines onto the work pieces, and includes a number of extendible or slidable support members for supporting longer work pieces, and includes a number of guiding devices for guiding the relative sliding movement between the support members. The legs of the table support device may be removed for allowing the table support device to be disposed on the ground or to be supported on the other supporting members or tables.

[0030] Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. A table support device comprising: a base including a pair of parallel tracks each having a first end, a board supported on said base, a bar slidably engaged on said tracks and movable toward and away from said board, a pair of poles slidably coupled to said first ends of said tracks respectively, and a follower secured on said poles and movable toward and away from said board together with said pair of poles, for increasing a distance between said follower and said board.
 2. The table support device according to claim 1 further comprising means for guiding said board to move relative to said bar.
 3. The table support device according to claim 2, wherein said guiding means includes at least one conduit formed in said board and said bar, and at least one rod slidably engaged in said at least one conduit of said board and said bar for stably guiding said board to move and adjust relative to said bar.
 4. The table support device according to claim 3, wherein said follower includes at least one conduit formed therein for slidably receiving said at least one rod and for stably guiding said follower to move and adjust relative to said bar and said board.
 5. The table support device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one support member supported on said bar and said follower.
 6. A table support device comprising: a base including a pair of parallel tracks each having a first end, a board supported on said base, a bar slidably engaged on said tracks and movable toward and away from said board, and means for guiding said board to move relative to said bar.
 7. The table support device according to claim 6, wherein said guiding means includes at least one conduit formed in said board and said bar, and at least one rod slidably engaged in said at least one conduit of said board and said bar for stably guiding said board to move and adjust relative to said bar.
 8. The table support device according to claim 6 further comprising at least one support member supported on said bar and said follower.
 9. The table support device according to claim 6 further comprising a pair of poles slidably coupled to said first ends of said tracks respectively, and a follower secured on said poles and movable toward and away from said board together with said pair of poles, for increasing a distance between said follower and said board.
 10. A table support device comprising: a base including a pair of parallel tracks each having a first end and a second end, a first bar and a second bar slidably engaged on said tracks, a board supported on said tracks, and disposed between and movable toward and away from said first bar and said second bar, two pairs of poles slidably coupled to said first and said second ends of said tracks respectively, and two followers secured on said two pairs of poles respectively and movable toward and away from said board, for increasing a distance between said followers and said board.
 11. The table support device according to claim 10 further comprising means for guiding said board to move relative to said first and said second bars.
 12. The table support device according to claim 10 further comprising at least one support member supported on said first and said second bars and said followers.
 13. The table support device according to claim 12 further comprising means for securing said at least one support member on said bars and said followers and said board.
 14. The table support device according to claim 13, wherein said board and said bars and said followers each includes an upper portion, said securing means includes at least one groove formed in said upper portions of said board and said bars and said followers respectively, and includes at least one rib extended from said at least one support member and selectively engaged into said at least one groove of said board and said bars and said followers.
 15. The table support device according to claim 10, wherein said base includes at least one graduation provided thereon.
 16. The table support device according to claim 10 further comprising means for selectively securing said poles to said tracks respectively.
 17. The table support device according to claim 10 further comprising leg means for supporting said base at a selected elevation. 